Golfers Who Give Back: Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson was the reigning U.S. Amateur and NCAA champion as a junior at Arizona State, and now he had won a PGA Tour event in Tucson. Soon he'd be playing in his first Masters. So, what next? "I called Arnold Palmer and asked if he'd play a practice round with me," Mickelson says. The impact Palmer made on young Phil that week at Augusta is being paid forward. And it's why Golf Digest and Monterey Peninsula Foundation have chosen to honor Mickelson with The Arnie Award as one of our Golfers Who Give Back . If you've watched Mickelson during his 25 years on tour, you've probably witnessed a random act of kindness: handing a ball to a kid; signing a glove and tucking in a little cash; tipping locker-room attendants extra because, as Phil reasons, they make his life better; and for the past several years, welcoming and mentoring young tour players, including Dustin John...